Tobold's Blog
Saturday, May 16, 2009
 
Cyanide

I do get several "press releases" from smaller game companies every week. I do usually take the time to have a look at their product, but only actually write a blog entry when the product is interesting. So when Cyanide Studios wrote me that they had acquired the rights turn George R.R Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ into games, it didn't look good for them. I had never heard of Cyanide, I hadn't read those books (although research told me they were popular), and the press release didn't even say what kind of game they were hoping to make from it.

But interest peaked up when I visited Cyanide's website. Because besides that press release, there are also two other games: Blood Bowl, to be released June 18th, and Dungeon Party, which was released yesterday. I did play Blood Bowl the board game 20 years ago, and Cyanide's version of it looks quite interesting to me, as it can be played either in real time or turn based. Dungeon Party is a Free2Play group vs. group PvP game. I tried it out, it's kind of fun, but you know me and PvP don't really go together.

Cyanide is a French studio, which explains some of the "funny" names of monsters in Dungeon Party, which you'll only understand if you speak French. It also helps to know how the layout of a French keyboard looks, because on an English keyboard you'll need to press Q and D to turn, while the screen text says A and D.

Anyway, I did like the quality of the games I saw there, and now I'm looking forward to Blood Bowl's release. Not holding my breath for that ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ game though, until I know more about it.
Comments:
umm... I'd love to see an image of an English keyboard, here in the states, we turn with A and D .....
 
A Song of Ice and Fire by G.R.R. Martin is a very popular series among fantasy readers. For those who do not know him, maybe he is the next J.R.R. Tolkien. ;)

Many have doubts that Cyanide can make a game up to the high standards of the series.
 
I think he ment to say that the game says turn with the "Q and D" keys, (Azerty, french) but if you use a (Qwerty, english) you use the "A and D" keys instead.
 
Sorry for not making myself more clear. The thing is that you're supposed to turn the camera with A and D. But when I play it, with a UK keyboard, D works, and A doesn't. I have to press Q instead of A to turn left. And the reason for that seems to be that on a French keyboard the A and the Q are reversed in comparison to a UK or US keyboard.
 
FYI, it's grok if you intend to use the word as coined by Robert Heinlein.
 
In a world where 99% of fantasy novels are terrible juvenile drek, impossible to enjoy if you are over the age of 14, George R. R. Martin is perhaps the best of the other 1%.

The only possible reason not to read Song of Ice and Fire right NOW is that it isn't finished yet, and you'll be left horribly jonesing for the ending.
 
That is the main reason I haven't started it--the end not being published yet. I got really tired of generic fantasy after I read most of the published Dragonlance novels when I was in high school, and I've been told ever since to check out "A Song of Ice and Fire." I've heard they're as far from generic as a series can get.

That said, I heard rumors a while back about an HBO series based on the novels. Is that still in the works, and if so, it's going to be interesting to see this series become a franchise.
 
@Beej - Apparently it still is in the works but no new info has been posted anywhere in a while.

IMO Grats to that studio winning the rights to creating the Song of Ice and Fire game, IMO one of the best Fantasy series I've ever read.
 
I'm another fan of Ice and Fire. I am not sure how well it will translate into an mmo though. Political intrigue of Borgiaesque proportions is the mainstay of the novels. Combat plays a secondary role and magic is almost non existent.
 
George R.R Martin's books are excellent and a lot darker than most core fantasy. I'd love to see a game set in the world but I think the developers will have difficulty trying to distinguish it from other fantasy games.
 
Well, being able to remap my keys is a number one prerequisite for me to play a game. I usually play with the numpad so if I can't rebind my keys then I'll just pass.

I'll have to put the books on my long "to read" list. I'll get to them eventually...
 
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